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		<title>Recommended domain name spaces &lt;https://y.st./en/URI_research/best_ccTLDs.xhtml&gt;</title>
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			<h1>Recommended domain name spaces</h1>
			<p>Telephone service has nothing to do with domain ownership.</p>
		</header>
<p>
	I am not a fan of some of the idiotic regulations imposed on the <abbr title="generic top-level domain">gTLD</abbr>s by <abbr title="Internet Assigned Numbers Authority">IANA</abbr>.
	The public whois database is bad enough, though I still see how it might be valuable.
	The requirement that a telephone number be in the database crosses the line though.
	Some of us do not have or want telephone service and that should not bar us from registering domains.
	However, <abbr title="country code top-level domain">ccTLD</abbr> registries seem to be allowed to manage themselves however they see is fit.
	I researched every <abbr title="country code top-level domain">ccTLD</abbr> available and found the top five registries that I feel are the best.
	To be eligible for this list, registries have to allow registration bay anyone worldwide and not ask for a telephone number or fax number.
	Because your criteria for choosing a registry may be different than mine, I also have <a href="https://y.st./en/URI_research/usable_ccTLDs.xhtml">notes on my runner-up choices</a> and <a href="https://y.st./en/URI_research/ccTLDs.xhtml">limited notes on all <abbr title="country code top-level domain">ccTLD</abbr>s</a>.
	Great quality often doesn&apos;t come at bare-bottom rates though.
	Domains at these registries aren&apos;t the penny domains you find elsewhere.
</p>
<section id="st">
	<h2>Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe (<a href="#st">ST</a>)</h2>
	<p>
		The <code>//st.</code> registry is my favourite registry in the world!
		Of my top five registries, this is the only one that offers <abbr title="Domain Name System">DNS</abbr> servers as part of their package, making domains bought directly through them accessible to people that do not have the means or do not have the desire to deploy their own <abbr title="Domain Name System">DNS</abbr> servers.
		If your registration term is less than ten years, this registry also has the lowest rates on registration and renewal.
		This registry used to offer discounts for registering for multiple years at a time, but now that they don&apos;t, extended registration rates are lower at the <a href="#dj"><code>//dj.</code></a> registry.
	</p>
	<ul>
		<li>
			<a href="http://www.nic.st/">Registry website</a>
		</li>
		<li>
			includes DNS - yes
		</li>
		<li>
			renewal price - €35 <abbr title="euros">EUR</abbr>
		</li>
		<li>
			initial price - €35 <abbr title="euros">EUR</abbr>
		</li>
		<li>
			minimum length - 3 (or pay a one-time premium price for a shorter name)
		</li>
		<li>
			whois privacy - €5 <abbr title="euros">EUR</abbr>
		</li>
		<li>
			register electronically - Web
		</li>
		<li>
			manual approval - no
		</li>
	</ul>
</section>
<section id="to">
	<h2>Kingdom of Tonga (<a href="#to">TO</a>)</h2>
	<p>
		The <code>//to.</code> registry does not make customer information available in a public database, saying that <a href="https://www.tonic.to/faq.htm#16">customers feel doing such is an invasion of privacy</a>.
		It&apos;s nice to know that some companies value the privacy of their customers enough to act on it.
	</p>
	<ul>
		<li>
			<a href="https://www.tonic.to/">Registry website</a>
		</li>
		<li>
			includes DNS - no
		</li>
		<li>
			renewal price - $100/$135/$200/$350/$750/$2500 <abbr title="United States Dollars">USD</abbr> (2/3/5/10/25/100 years)
		</li>
		<li>
			initial price - $100/$135/$200/$350/$750/$2500 <abbr title="United States Dollars">USD</abbr> (2/3/5/10/25/100 years)
		</li>
		<li>
			minimum length - 1
		</li>
		<li>
			whois privacy - yes
		</li>
		<li>
			register electronically - Web
		</li>
		<li>
			manual approval - unknown
		</li>
	</ul>
</section>
<section id="pn">
	<h2>Pitcairn Group of Islands (<a href="#pn">PN, CO.PN, NET.PN, ORG.PN</a>)</h2>
	<p>
		In addition to registration a the second level, this registry offers registration at the third level under three second-level domains.
		Registration at the third level costs half that of registrations at the second level.
	</p>
	<ul>
		<li>
			<a href="http://government.pn/PnRegistry/">Registry website</a>
		</li>
		<li>
			includes DNS - no
		</li>
		<li>
			renewal price - $100 <abbr title="United States Dollars">USD</abbr> ($50 <abbr title="United States Dollars">USD</abbr> for third-level registrations)
		</li>
		<li>
			initial price - $100 <abbr title="United States Dollars">USD</abbr> ($50 <abbr title="United States Dollars">USD</abbr> for third-level registrations)
		</li>
		<li>
			minimum length - 1
		</li>
		<li>
			whois privacy - no
		</li>
		<li>
			register electronically - Web
		</li>
		<li>
			manual approval - unknown
		</li>
	</ul>
</section>
<section id="dj">
	<h2>Republic of Djibouti (<a href="#dj">DJ</a>)</h2>
	<p>
		Registration at this registry can be slightly cheaper than registration at the <a href="#st"><code>//st.</code></a> registry, but only if you register for a period of exactly ten years.
	</p>
	<ul>
		<li>
			<a href="http://www.dj/">Registry website</a>
		</li>
		<li>
			includes DNS - no
		</li>
		<li>
			renewal price - unsure
		</li>
		<li>
			initial price - €40-200 <abbr title="euros">EUR</abbr> (1-5 years) or €320 <abbr title="euros">EUR</abbr> (10 years)
		</li>
		<li>
			minimum length - 3
		</li>
		<li>
			whois privacy - yes
		</li>
		<li>
			register electronically - Web
		</li>
		<li>
			manual approval - unknown
		</li>
	</ul>
</section>
<section id="cg">
	<h2>Republic of the Congo (<a href="#cg">CG</a>)</h2>
	<p>
		The registration price for this registry is a bit steep compared to the others on this list.
		Registrations are also handled by <a href="http://nic.cg/register.html">email</a> instead of over the Web.
		The high price is only charged to outsiders, and is said to be in order to <a href="http://nic.cg/pricing.html">compensate for the fact that local citizens get gratis registration</a>.
	</p>
	<ul>
		<li>
			<a href="https://nic.cg/">Registry website</a>
		</li>
		<li>
			includes DNS - no
		</li>
		<li>
			renewal price - €225 <abbr title="euros">EUR</abbr>
		</li>
		<li>
			initial price - €225 <abbr title="euros">EUR</abbr>
		</li>
		<li>
			minimum length - 3
		</li>
		<li>
			whois privacy - no
		</li>
		<li>
			register electronically - email
		</li>
		<li>
			manual approval - yes
		</li>
	</ul>
</section>
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